Look Out, Here Comes Garfield!
by Jsmit186
Summary: Garfield, the lasagna-loving cat, sets out on his first adventure! When Odie gets captured and taken to the city pound, it's up to the fat and lazy feline to rescue his friend. Along the way, Garfield encounters a familiar face from his past.
1. Chapter 1: The Origin of Garfield

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Origin of Garfield**

**June 19**

**Muncie, Indiana**

**Mamma Leoni's Italian Restaurant**

"Meroooooooo!" A female cat roared as she is giving birth to her second kitten.

"Welcome to the world, little fella." The female cat said as she thinks of a name for her newborn kitten. After a few seconds, she thought of the perfect name for him.

"I think I'll call you...Garfield." She proclaimed as her newborn son opened his eyes for the first time.

"I'm hungry!" Garfield said his first words as he peeked his head outside of the blanket. "W-Where are we, mom?" He asked.

"Why, you're in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant, sweetie." His mother answered.

"Are Italians good to eat?" Garfield asked as he tried to climb out of the bed. "Oof!" he shouted as he tripped.

His mother chuckles at her son's clumsiness. "You have a lot to learn, Garfield. Remember, always sit up straight."

Garfield took his first steps as he walked around the kitchen. He was amazed by everything he saw from the stove to the many food and ingredients on the table. However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he spots a human chef approaching in his direction carrying what appears to be a very hot tray. Garfield quickly ran to the side of the stove.

"Garfield, the newborn kitten, is getting ready to rub up against his first human leg." Garfield proclaimed as he prepares to make his move towards the unsuspecting human. "On my mark, get set..." He says in anticipation. "Rub up!" Garfield runs towards the chef and proceeds to rub up against his leg.

"Arrrrgh!" The chef screamed as he falls to the ground and drops his hot tray. A piece of lasagna flies out of the tray and lands into Garfield's mouth. The cat was surprised by the delightful taste of the pasta dish. Wanting more of this delicious treat, Garfield rushes to the tray and proceeds to devour the rest of the lasagna.

"I think I'm gonna to like this thing called eating, mom". Garfield said while chewing.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, dear." His mother reminded him as he finishes his lasagna meal.

"Ahhhhh, delicious." Garfield licked his mouth and satisfyingly rubs his belly. He then notices the table having lots more food on it. Using his claws, Garfield climbs up to the table and gazes upon the wondrous amounts of pasta dishes on it.

"Pasta!" Garfield exclaimed in delight. "Infinite mountains of pasta!"

Garfield bounces from the gelatin to the bowl of fettuccine and eats all of it.

"Garfield, one! Fettuccine, nothing!"

He then notices a cup filled with spaghetti noodles and jumps towards it. He attempts to chew on a noodle, but is unimpressed with how it was cooked.

"This spaghetti could stand to be cooked a little longer." Garfield added. He stretches and yawns and proceeds to take a nap.

"Wake up, sleepyhead." Garfield's mom ordered, but her son remains asleep.

The chef gets back up and is horrified by what he saw. All of the food was eaten and the kitchen table was a complete mess.

"That's it!" The chef angrily yelled and grabs the sleeping kitten from the cup. "You're coming with me!"

"What are you doing with my baby!?" Garfield's mother panicked.

"I'm sorry, Sonja!" The chef said revealing her name, "But I can't let your son stay here! He's eating me out of business, so I'm taking him to the pet shop!" He begins to walk away.

"No!" Sonja yelled as she runs after them, "You can't take him away from me! He's too young!" Sonja tries to catch up with her owner, but the kitchen door was already shut.

"GARFIELD!" She shouted as she claws at the door. Tears began to form in her eyes. After crying in defeat for a full minute, she calms down and regains her posture.

"Take care of yourself, Garfield." Sonja sniffed, "No matter what happens, I'll always love you."

* * *

**Pet Shop**

Garfield yawns as he wakes up from his nap. As he stretches and opens his eyes, he immediately notices that he's in a completely different place and is surrounded by many different cats and dogs.

"W-What the...Where am I!?" The confused kitten asked. A bigger beige cat approached him.

"You're in the pet shop, little guy." The cat answered.

"THE PET SHOP!?" Garfield screamed "HOW DID I END UP HERE!? WHERE'S MOM!?"

"Calm down, kid." The beige cat said. "You were dropped off here late last night by a chef-looking guy and he quickly ran off. He sounded like he was very happy to be rid of you."

"Oh, I see." Garfield depressingly said as he began to cry.

The beige cat sympathetically placed a paw on Garfield's back. "Hey, it's okay little guy. I'm pretty sure you'll find a nice new home one day." The cat reassured him.

"So…(Sniff)...what's the program here?" Garfield asked wiping a tear from his eye.

"Oh, it's simple", the beige cat answered, "All you have to do is look cute. Someone comes in, buys you, and takes you home."

"Well, that shouldn't take very long." Garfield said with a glimmer of hope.

"Uhh...I wouldn't count on that if I were you." The beige cat said, pointing at an old wrinkly cat. "Old Eli's been here for seventeen years."

"Hey, I'm cute." Eli said with a gravelly voice. "Take me home."

Garfield sighed in defeat. He realized that he wasn't getting out of here anytime soon.

*Ding Dong*

Garfield jumped in surprise of the bell sound. He then notices someone approaching the cashier.

"Hello there." The man spoke to the cashier. "I'd like to buy a pet, please?"

This was it. This was Garfield's chance for a better life. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, Garfield quickly runs up and jumps right onto the man's face.

"Take me! Take me!" Garfield begged the man. "I'll catch your mice, fetch your paper, and scratch your back! I'll be sweet, lick your feet, and even fix you a snack! I'll do anything for you! JUST TAKE ME WITH YOU!" He quickly added.

"Alright, alright!" The man said as he grabbed the kitten from his face and observes him.

"Hmmm...well this one seems friendly". The man said. "And adorable. I'll take him!"

"Y-you mean it?" Garfield asked

The man nodded.

"YES! Oh, thank you so much!" Garfield showers his new owner with many kisses on the cheeks.

The cashier chuckles. "He seems to really like you, mister….uhhhhh…."

"Jon Arbuckle." The man said revealing his name.

"Okay, Mr. Arbuckle. That'll be 90 dollars, please."

"You got it." Jon said as he gave the cashier the money.

"Thanks, sir. Enjoy your new cat." The cashier said as Jon walks out of the pet shop with his newly adopted kitten in his hands. The beige cat watches as they leave.

"Good luck out there, kid." He said, "You're gonna need it."

Jon walks out the door and heads to his car. Garfield is very excited for his new life of comfort and luxury ahead.

"Ok, so I sleep till noon and desire my milk tepid. I require three daily scratchings and I eat a pasta based diet. No substitutions, please. As far as accommodations, my...bed...must...be…" the exhausted kitten begins to drift to sleep.

"Wow." Jon said to himself, "Only one minute after being adopted and he's already fallen asleep."

Jon opens his car door and places the sleeping tabby on the passenger's seat. After putting his seat-belt on and starting up the car, he smiled at his new pet and gently strokes him on his back.

"Welcome to your new home, little fella." Jon said as he thinks of a name for him. After a few seconds, he thought of the perfect name for him.

"I think I'll call you...Garfield." He proclaimed as he begins to drive back home with his newly adopted cat.


	2. Chapter 2: A Day in the Life of Garfield

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: A Day in the Life of Garfield**

**4 Years Later...**

**Jon Arbuckle's House**

The sun began to rise as it shined through the window of the Arbuckle residence. A small blue bird approaches said window near an occupied cat bed.

"Tweet Tweet Tweet Tweet" The bird kept chirping away.

"RRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG" The clock next to the bed also began to make noise.

The occupant under the blanket, fed up with the constant noise interrupting his slumber, reaches to the clock and tosses it to the annoying bird.

"SQUAWK!" The bird yelped in pain.

Already awoken by the noise, the occupant peeks his head out of the blanket revealing a familiar orange tabby.

"Good morning, morning." Garfield yawned as he begins to stretch. "I hate mornings. I'd like 'em better if they started later." He added.

"Well, I guess I'll get up, wake up Jon, and exercise." Garfield rolled his eyes on that last part.

"Unless, of course, that floor is cold again. Nobody likes cold floors, but we cats have to put twice as many feet on them." Garfield said to the reader.

"I'm not getting out of bed if that floor is the slightest bit chilly." Garfield reaches his hand out and touches the ground.

"YIII!" Garfield yelped. "This floor is freezing! Well, too bad." Garfield begins to fall back asleep.

"BARK! BARK! BARK!"

Garfield was launched up high in the air by the surprise of a familiar loud sound and lands back on his bed. He sees a very happy dog in front of him sticking his long tongue out.

"Good morning, Odie." Garfield said to the dog revealing his name. Odie begins to happily lick Garfield, much to the cat's annoyance.

"Yuck!" Garfield shouted in disgust. "You know you're not going to live to see your next birthday if you don't get out of here, right?" Odie whimpers and leaves after receiving that threat.

"I hate dogs." The grumpy cat reminded himself. He once again attempts to fall back to sleep.

"GURGLE!" Garfield's stomach began to rumble. He sighed deeply in response.

"I'm hungry." Garfield said. "Well, since I'm already up, I might as well have some breakfast."

Garfield begins to ponder on how he's gonna make it to his dish bowl while evading the cold floor. After a few seconds in thought, he had the perfect idea. Garfield grabbed the bed with all four of his paws and begins to hop his way to the kitchen table. When he hopped to the table, he was surprised to see his favorite dish bowl completely empty.

"Rats." Garfield complained, "Jon must still be lolling in bed. It's hard to find good help these days."

Garfield heads into Jon's room, not even caring about the cold floor anymore, and finds his owner indeed still sound asleep. Garfield proceeds to use his claws to drag the blanket off the sleeping Arbuckle.

"Do dee do do do dee do do do". Garfield sang to himself as he climbed up to Jon's body and approaches his closed eyes.

"Hello. Anyone in there?" Garfield grabs one of Jon's eyelids. Still not budging, Garfield jumps onto Jon's face and begins to tap dance on it.

"Mmmmmmmmmm." Jon still remains asleep. More annoyed than ever, Garfield tries many different antics to wake him up such as wagging his tail on him, ruffling his hair, and even licking his face. Jon still remains in his deep slumber. Fed up at this point, Garfield angrily grabs Jon's neck and begins to throttle him.

"Arrrrgh!" Jon finally wakes up.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Garfield happily said to his favorite cook. "Welcome to another glorious fun-filled day with your favorite pet!"

"Good morning, Garfield." Jon responded. "I suppose you're hungry and want some breakfast?"

"That would be great!" Garfield exclaimed as he happily hopped his way back to the kitchen table.

"I'm so happy to own a cat." Jon sarcastically said to the reader. "I could just throw up."

Jon puts on his morning robe and makes his way to the kitchen. He sees a smiling cat on the table waiting for him.

"What would you like for breakfast, Garfield?" Jon asked as his cat kept jumping up and down in excitement.

"I'll have a danish with a cup of coffee." Garfield replied. "Oh, and the morning newspaper for the funnies".

"Okey dokey. One bowl of cat food coming right up." Jon assumed as humans can't actually hear what cats are saying.

"Nobody listens anymore." Garfield said to the reader.

Jon pours some cat foot onto Garfield's food dish. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Garfield replied as he sniffs at his food bowl. "Although, the bouquet leaves something to be desired.

A mouse suddenly appears running around the table. Jon spits out his coffee and starts freaking out.

"A MOUSE!" Jon yelled "GARFIELD! GET THE MOUSE!"

However, Garfield ignored Jon's demands and continues to eat his cat food without a care in the world.

"WHA-YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYING!" Jon shouted at his cat.

The mouse gets away. Jon puts his hands on his face and sighs deeply.

"You know, Garfield." Jon said. "I shouldn't have to feed you so much when you could provide food for yourself. Why can't you chase mice like other cats?"

In response, Garfield grabs Jon's face and pulls it right in front of his face.

"Show me a good mouser, and I'll show you a cat with bad breath."

Garfield lets go of Jon's face and continues eating his breakfast. While eating, he notices Odie sitting at the edge of the table.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Garfield said to the reader, "I shall now derive great pleasure from kicking Odie off this table."

Garfield approaches the unsuspecting dog and winds up his foot in anticipation.

KICK! He lands a perfect boot to the yelping dog.

CRASH! Odie falls to the floor.

"GARFIELD!" Jon shouted in disapproval.

"What? I'm not known for my compassion." Garfield said as he returned to his food bowl to finish his meal. Odie approaches Garfield with a glare on his face.

BARK! Odie shouted in retaliation resulting in Garfield landing his face on his bowl. In response, Garfield angrily grabs Odie's neck and smacks him in the face with his cat bowel.

The two begin to brawl with each other. They both fall to the floor.

Chaos ensues as Garfield chases Odie all around the house. From bouncing off of the walls to breaking many fragile objects from the living room and kitchen.

Jon fumes in anger over his pet's shenanigans creating another disaster in his house.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!" Jon shouted furiously as he stomps to the front door. "YOU GUYS! OUTSIDE! NOW!

Garfield and Odie instead jump through the open window.

"WERE YOU GUYS RAISED IN A BARN!?" Jon shouted from the window "USE THE DOOR NEXT TIME!"

Jon closes the window and calms himself down.

"And they say pets are therapeutic." He sighed to himself as he begins to clean up his wrecked living room.


	3. Chapter 3: Odie gets Captured

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Odie gets Captured**

Garfield and Odie playfully chase each other all throughout the front yard. They jump into Jon's field of flowers and start throwing daisies at each other.

A small grey dog with a pink bowtie approaches the flower field and notices Garfield's orange tail standing out from the flowers. The dog sadistically bites the tail.

"YEOW!" Garfield shouted in extreme pain. He immediately spots the perpetrator of the attack.

"WHY YOU LITTLE…!" Garfield draws out his claws and slashes at her. The dog whimpers in pain and runs home to cry to her owner.

"Hey, Odster!" Garfield called out to his friend. "Want to have some more fun?"

Odie nodded in response.

"Ok, let's catch that little pest next door and wring her tiny little neck." Garfield said as they prepare to make their move.

"Come here, little honey bun." An old man happily called out to his dog. "Come to daddy."

The old man has a shocked look on his face as he notices his dog crying and drops of blood on her. The dog hides under her owner's rocking chair.

"What's the matter, honey bun?" The old man asked worryingly. "Did Arbuckle's mean old cat and dog from next door hurt you again?" He suspected.

The dog nodded and pointed at the culprits.

"I thought so!" He said, "THERE ARE THOSE TWO PESKY VARMINTS!" He suddenly shouted as he spotted Garfield and Odie peeking their heads from the bushes.

"GET YOUR STINKING PAWS OFF MY PROPERTY!" He kept shouting.

Garfield stands behind his water fountain while Odie peeks his head out of the water inside the fountain.

"HURT MY PUPPY, WILL YA!? I'M WARNING YOU, DON'T COME ANOTHER STEP CLOSER!"

Garfield and Odie take cover behind his plastic flamingos. Still having devious smiles on their faces.

"THAT DOES IT!" The old man becomes fed up with the cat and dog's shenanigans. "REBA! REBA!" He shouted out to his wife. "THAT CAT AND DOG ARE INTRUDING IN MY YARD AGAIN! WHERE'S MY GODDAMN STICK!?

"It's right beside you where you always keep it, Hubert." Reba said revealing his name.

Hubert looks beside him and sees his walking stick on the floor. "I KNEW THAT!" He shouted in response.

He grabs his stick and whistles out to Garfield and Odie.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty. Come here, doggy." Hubert said gently. "Don't worry, I just want to pet you...WITH MY STICK! He suddenly shouted.

Hubert swings his stick attempting to strike at the two pets, but misses constantly due to Garfield and Odie's quick reflexes. He instead smashes one of his pot plants. He eventually corners Odie. As he swings his stick upwards in preparation to attack, the stick hits some wires holding on to another potted plant above him. The pot plant lands downwards onto Hubert's face.

"Good thinking, Odie". Garfield compliments Odie as they high-five each other.

Reba comes out of the front door again and immediately notices the pot plant on her husband's face.

"Well, just look at you, Hubert. Potted again." Reba said laughing at her husband's predicament.

"Goddamn it, Reba!" Hubert called out. "Can't you see I've been assaulted by those pesky varmints!? Bring me my phone!"

Hubert gives all his attention back to Garfield and Odie who are giving funny faces to him.

"YOU'VE DONE IT THIS TIME!" He yelled. "I'M GONNA FIX YOUR WAGONS ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

Garfield and Odie continue to mock the old man with teasing faces. Reba hands Hubert his phone.

"Hello. Is this the city pound?" Hubert asked. "Good. This is Hubert on Maple street. I've found a couple of strays roaming in my yard. Send a truck right over here!" Hubert finishes his call.

In less than a second, a truck appears in front of the house.

"What took you so long?" Hubert complained anyway. "GET THAT CAT AND THAT DOG! TAKE EM' BOTH AWAY!

The driver of the truck steps out of the vehicle and approaches the two pets with a net.

"Uh oh! It's the city pound!" Garfield panicked. "C'mon Odie! Let's get out of here!"

Garfield quickly hides himself in the bushes. Odie, however, remains still.

"Odie! What are you doing!? Make a break for it!" Garfield shouted to his friend. Flabbergasted by the dog's utter stupidity.

The dog catcher snatches Odie with his net and throws him into the back of the truck.

The dog catcher heads back to his truck and begins to drive away.

"ODIE!" Garfield shouted as he chases the truck. He manages to catch up and jump onto the back of the moving truck.

"Odie, you're so stupid that you don't even know that you're in deep trouble!" Garfield said. "If I don't get you out of here quick, I may never see you again!"

Odie happily licks Garfield as the cat attempts to squeeze Odie through the bars. However, the truck hits a speed bump causing Garfield to fall off the back of the truck. Garfield lands on the hard ground causing a huge amount of pain on the feline. Unable to catch up with it now, Garfield watches as the truck drives farther away from him.

"Oh, well." Garfield groaned in pain. "Good riddance, Odie. I never liked you that much anyway." Garfield gets back up and proceeds to walk home.

"Ten thousand dogs in this stinkin city and I have to live with tweedle dee the wonder dummy."


	4. Chapter 4: The Search for Odie

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

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**Chapter 4: The Search for Odie**

**Jon Arbuckle's House**

After he finished cleaning up the mess that his pets made and preparing lunch for all of them, Jon relaxes on his chair while reading the morning newspaper. He sighed as he wonders about his pet's hyperactive and mischievous behavior.

"Boys, boys, boys. What am I going to do with you two?" He pondered to himself.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Uh, oh! Garfield wants in!" Jon gets off of his chair and walks to the front door. As the banging got harder and louder, Jon starts running to the door. When he reaches for the doorknob, Garfield punches the door so hard that it comes crashing off and hinges directly onto Jon.

"When I want in, I want in NOW!" Garfield complained as he walks on top of the broken door. Jon eventually gets himself back up and notices that only one of his pets is present.

"Wait a minute! Garfield! Where's Odie!?" Jon said as he fixes the door. "He didn't come back with you!?"

Garfield attempts to mimic everything that has happened from teasing Hubert to the dogcatcher taking Odie away.

"Do you have fleas or something!?" Asked a confused Jon.

Frustrated, Garfield grabs Jon's face and pulls it right in front of him.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate." Garfield said slapping Jon for his stupidity.

"Oh, no. Odie's missing!" Jon started to panic. "I can't believe you let him wonder off all alone, Garfield!" He scolded his cat.

"Hey! Don't look at me! If Odie hadn't been so stupid and let himself get captured, we wouldn't even be in this mess in the first place!" Garfield argued.

"I'm not going to argue with you about this, Garfield." Jon said as he put on his jacket. "I'm going to go look for Odie while you're going to stay inside the house."

"Fine by me." Garfield responded.

"You better behave yourself while I'm gone, Garfield! I mean it!" Jon sternly told Garfield as he leaves.

* * *

Later...

Garfield is sitting in the living room chair watching TV. He flips through the channels as all of them are playing the exact same advertisement.

"You know Pleasure Motors- _Click!_ You know Pleasure Motors is conveniently located right here in Downtown- _Click!_ Of course, if you can't make it to our Downtown location, we have new locations under construction up in Midtown- _Click!_ Uptown- _Click!_ and in the Loop! _Click!_ At Pleasure Motors, your business is our pleasure! _Click!_ Where our pleasure is your business! _Click!_ And our pleasure is none of your business!"

Frustrated, Garfield turns off the TV and begins to ponder in his own thoughts.

"Oh boy, am I bored." Garfield said as he scratches the side of Jon's chair. " Maybe I do miss Odie. It's hard to believe I could miss someone who stares and slobbers all at the same time. Someone who has to turn around three times before lying down. Someone who drinks out of the toilet." Garfield finished as the side of the chair was completely torn.

"I remember the days when Odie and I were just a little puppy and kitten." Garfield closed his as he remembered when he was younger.

The two are happily playing in a beautiful open field. "_Bark!"_ Odie notices a net suddenly appearing and taking him away.

"O-ODIE!?" Garfield wakes up from his imaginary scenario. Depressed, Garfield gets off the chair and walks to his bed.

"Maybe a nap will get my mind off of him". Garfield said as he climbs onto his bed and drifts to sleep.

_Sniff! Sniff!_

"W-What's that? C-Could it be?" Garfield wondered as he smells a delightful aroma. "Nah, it couldn't...yes it could...no it isn't...yes it...it's...FOOD!"

Garfield follows the aroma and goes into the kitchen. Upon entering, his eyes widen in delight as he sees many delicious food of many kinds spread all over the kitchen table. Garfield decides to play around with the food and puts an empty bowl on his head and picks up a piece of french bread.

"No sweat, sarge." Garfield said. "I'll take that machine gun nest out with my trusty bazooka here." Garfield eats the french bread and dives into a bowl of potato salad.

"Yuck! So this is what it feels like to be potato salad." Garfield devours the entire salad and puts some noodles on his head.

"Rhett, Rhett. Whatever shall I do? Wherever shall I go?" Garfield takes the noodles off his head and eats it. He places two pieces of celery on top of his ears along with two halves of a tomato on his eyes and half a lemon in his mouth. He then picks up two banana peels and holds them like guns.

"Take me to your leader, earthling or I'll atomize your face." Garfield proceeds to eat the bananas and all the food on his face.

"Oh, boy! Chicken! I love chicken!" Garfield exclaimed as he picks up a drumstick and eats it along with a piece of bread with jam on it. He then approaches a ham and is about to devour it until he spots something and gasps.

"Well, if it isn't nature's most perfect food..." Garfield leaps right towards a hot tray of…"LASAGNA!"

"Where've you been all my life, Mon Cherie?" Garfield strokes the tray. "You know I can't resist you when you wear garlic in your meat sauce. Would you like to come to my place for dinner? Oh, very well. I'll just have dinner right here." He proceeds to eat all the lasagna in one quick session. He picks up the last piece and throws it in his mouth. He climbs into the now empty tray and lays down on it.

"I'm bored. Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored. I am bored." Garfield emphasizes. "I never thought I would miss Odie this badly." he lamented. "That's it! He exclaimed. "I'm going down to the city pound and I'm gonna bust Odie out of there!" Garfield rushes to the front door. As soon as he opens it, it once again falls off its hinges and crashes onto the floor.

"Jon really needs to get that door fixed." He commented.

Garfield makes his way outside and prepares to go on his first adventure.

"Look out, pound. Here comes Garfield!" He proclaimed as he begins his journey to the pound.

* * *

Garfield makes his way throughout the city in search of the city pound.

_***He's out on the town. Making some tracks.***_

_***Living alone. All unattached.***_

_***But he's cool. (He's cool)***_

_***He's calm. (He's…) starting from scratch.***_

_***Loaded with charm. A cat without fear.***_

_***Look out baby. Garfield is here.***_

_***He's cool. (He's cool)***_

_***He's calm. (He's…) starting from scratch.***_

Garfield grows physically tired from all the walking and decides to take a break.

"This could be my time to howl." Garfield leans onto a wall and crosses his arms.

"AROOO!" He howled. He spots a girl cat approaching in his direction. "Hey baby, what's happenin'?

"Take a hike, jack." The female cat rudely responded. After glaring at her for a few seconds, he howls again.

"AROOO!" Another female cat approaches.

"How's about you and me doin' something beautiful, darlin'?

"Can it, creep. Don't do me no favors." The female cat rejects Garfield's offer and earns another glare from the orange feline.

"AROOO!" Yet another female cat walks by.

"Hey, honey. How 'bout a kiss?"

"Suck air, jackass." Once again, Garfield is rejected by a girl cat. He simply shrugs and leans back on the wall.

_***He's out on the town. Hittin' the streets.***_

_***This is a cat with the world at his feet.***_

_***He's cool. (He's cool)***_

_***He's calm. (He's calm)***_

Garfield begins to shiver.

_***He's cold***_

"I'm cold."

_***And he misses his house.***_

"I miss my house. I need to find Odie and go home."

"Gurgle!" Garfield's stomach rumbled. "I'm starving, too. I better grab something to eat."

Garfield looked around to see if there's any nearby restaurants. Luckily, he finds a bakery right across the street. As he makes his way across the street, a car nearly runs him over.

"HEY! WATCH IT!" Garfield shouted. More cars zoom pass the busy street nearly flattening Garfield into a road pancake.

"CAT IN THE ROAD! CAREFUL!" He kept shouting as he barely misses getting hit. He makes a run for it as more cars drive by.

"WHOOPS! HEY!" He dodges more cars and manages to get to safety on the other side of the street.

"WHEW! That was close." Garfield heavily sighed in relief as he clinged hard on a lamppost. He makes his way to the bakery. He goes inside, but immediately gets thrown out.

"NO PETS ALLOWED!" The cashier shouted as he slams the door shut.

"Damn." Garfield said as he thinks of a way to get back into the bakery. He spots a mother and her son approaching the door. Garfield has an idea. He approaches the kid and taps his shoulder to get his attention.

"Aww! What a cute kitty!" The boy said as Garfield gestures the child to follow him. The boy follows Garfield into an alley. Garfield ambushes the kid and knocks him unconscious. Garfield takes the boy's clothes and puts them on himself.

"Thanks for the clothes, kid." Garfield thanked the unconscious child as he reenters the bakery. A short time later, Garfield walks out of the bakery with a bag of doughnuts.

"I've been human for ten minutes now, but I haven't forgotten my touch." Garfield said to the reader as he tosses a doughnut to a fellow stray cat.

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in Jon's house…**

"Garfield! I'm home!" Jon shouted as he enters his house with no luck on finding Odie.

"Garfield? Where are you?" Jon looked around the house for any sign of his cat. When he entered the kitchen, he gasps in horror as all the food he's left on the table had been eaten. The table was a complete mess.

"GAAAAARRRRRFFFFFIIIIIEEEEELLLLLD!" Jon shouted so loud that it can be heard all across the neighborhood.

Jon took a moment to calm down. After a few deep breaths, he began to think on what to do with that troublesome feline.

"You know Jon, giving him away at a supermarket is coming to mind." Jon said to himself. "A one way trip to the city pound seems like a good idea. RIGHT NOW, EVEN TAXIDERMY SOUNDS TERRIFIC!" He suddenly shouted.

"I work and slave for him, but do I get any thanks for it!? NOOO! I DON'T! Instead, I get a demolition derby in my living room, a wrecked door, and my lunch ruined!"

After Jon regains his sanity, he notices that Garfield is absolutely nowhere to be found.

"Wait, where is that troublemaker anyway?" He asked himself as he once again searches the whole house for any sign of Garfield. After searching every nook and cranny, Jon begins to realise that Garfield is missing too.

"Oh, no! Not him, too!" Jon panicked as he begins to drown himself in tears. "What did I do to deserve this!?" Jon sobbed.

* * *

**Meanwhile...**

After searching for countless hours, Garfield still can't find what he's looking for.

"Where's that stinkin' pound!?" Garfield groaned in frustration. "Boy, it's starting to get dark. No sweat, I can take care of myself. Hell, it might be kinda fun to get into a little rumble just to loosen up." Garfield said to himself. "Just let someone try something. When they do, I'll give em the ol'...HI-YA!" Garfield strikes a fighting pose and performs a karate chop.

"YA-HA!" Garfield startled. It was just his shadow.

"Ahh, I knew it was you all along." Garfield said to his shadow. Don't ever do that again, okay? Okay. You hungry?"

Garfield nods to himself and his shadow. "Me too. Let's find another place to eat."

Garfield wonders into a dark alley and finds a pretty nice looking trash can.

"This looks good." Garfield bangs his hand on the trash can. "Galvanized! Not one of those cheap plastic places." He admired. He climbs on top of a box to reach the lid.

"Bon Appétit." Garfield opens the lid and peeks his head inside the trash can. What was in there was not pretty in the slightest.

"PEEYEW!" Garfield exclaimed in disgust. "After you, shadow. Oh no, I insist, after you."

Suddenly, a purple cat peeks his head from the other side of the trash can.

"Uhhhh….You're out of your territory, ain't you fella? The purple cat asked.

"Hi there!" Garfield greeted the other cat.

"You do know that this is my garbage can, right?"

"You mean, you eat this crap?" Garfield asked.

"Mmm hmm." The purple cat nods.

"Hey, good for you. I mean, for you to have so much considering the...current economic situation". Garfield said. "By the way, do you happen to know where the city pound is?"

"The pound? Why? You asking for a death wish or something?" The purple cat asked in surprise.

"I'm looking for someone." Garfield replied. "You see, my friend was captured and taken to the city pound, so I'm gonna find him and bust him out of there."

"Pffft. Good luck with that, puffball." The purple cat insults Garfield.

"Puffball? did you just call me...puffball?"

"Ohhhhhh, that offends you? I'm so sorry...LARDBALL!"

"That does it!" Garfield said angrily. "I was just talking about getting to a rumble to loosen up!"

The two cats glare at each other and grind their teeth as hard as possible. The purple cat starts approaching Garfield in a menacing way. Garfield backs away, but regains his confidence and approaches the purple cat in a menacing way causing him to back away in fear. In response, the purple cat strikes an even more menacing pose and approaches Garfield. Fed up by this point, Garfield draws out his claws and leaps from the ground. He strikes the purple cat with his claws causing him to yelp in pain and run away in fear.

"Piece of cake." Garfield snickered as he follows the stray cat. When Garfield finds him, he suddenly finds a hundred or so evil looking cats right behind him.

"Oh, crap." Garfield said frightened for his life. He was in quite a predicament as all the cats drew their claws out preparing to maul Garfield to death.

"Well, shadow. I guess it's just you and me. Let's take 'em." Garfield's shadow instead runs away in fear.

"Good idea! Wait for me!" Garfield runs away from the alley with the purple cat and his friends all in pursuit. Garfield notices a small opening on a barricaded door and quickly jumps in to safety. Hiding behind the wall, he watches as all the other cats run past the barricaded door. Garfield sighs deeply in relief.

"Someday, I'm going to learn precisely where that fine line is and I'm never going to cross it again." He declared.

"Wait a minute, this place looks familiar."

Garfield notices a pair of eyes looking directly at him. Garfield, scared out of his mind, clings hard onto the wall as the evil looking eyes approach him. He was doomed.

The eyes are revealed to be owned by a female cat as she steps out of the shadows. "Hello, Garfield." The female cat greeted him.

"Uhhhh….do I know you?"

"Think back, Garfield." The female cat replied.

Garfield pondered for a moment. "Nope, not ringing any bells."

"Let me give you a hint, Garfield. Sit up straight. Don't talk with your mouth full. Wake up, sleepyhead."

Garfield recognized those phrases. "Wait, are you...M-MOM!?

Sonja hugs Garfield tightly with no sign of letting go anytime soon. "MY LITTLE BOY IS BACK!" She sobbed. Garfield gladly hugs her back as mother and son are together once more.


	5. Chapter 5: Family Reunion

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Family Reunion**

**The Next Morning…**

Jon drives all throughout the neighborhood still searching for his lost pets. As he observes the surrounding area through the car window, he spots a familiar pair of dog ears hiding in the bushes. Gasping, Jon quickly gets out of his car and rushes towards the occupied bush.

"Odie!" Jon exclaimed excitedly. "There you are, you sly dog!"

Jon reaches out and grabs the dog ears only to find out that they didn't belong to Odie, but rather an bigger, uglier, and ferocious looking dog. After nearly getting mauled to death, Jon, clothes all torn up, proceeds back to his car in defeat.

"Odie must have a very popular ear style." Jon moaned in pain.

* * *

**Meanwhile...**

Sonja wakes up after a nice long rest. As she yawns and stretches her paws, she notices her son Garfield swaying back and forth while sleeping.

"No! Don't take him away!" Garfield shouted while his eyes remained closed. He's having a nightmare.

Panicking, Sonja runs to her baby and shakes him to wake him up.

"Garfield? Garfield! Wake up!" Sonja shouted while shaking him.

"ODIE!" Garfield's eyes snap wide open. His body shakes as his heart pounds really fast. Breathing heavily, he gazes around his surroundings and notices his mother with a worried look on her face.

"Garfield!" Sonja hugs him. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, good morning, mom." Garfield replied while still shaking. "Sorry, I just had a nightmare and...and..."

"Sssssshhhhhh" Sonja shushes Garfield as she comfortingly strokes his back. "It's okay, Garfield. Mommy's here after all these years." She reassures her son and kisses him on the cheek. Garfield happily hugs her back.

"It's great seeing you again, mom." He whispers to her ear. "It seems like only yesterday."

"Yes, it's been awhile." She whispered back as they let go of their hug.

"You know, for a minute I thought this was only a dream." Garfield said.

"Oh, this is real. Believe me." Sonja reassures him and walks to a specific spot. Garfield follows her and steps out of the warm sunbeam.

"OO-EEE-AH-YAH!" Garfield shouted as he steps on the cold floor. "I forgot how much I hate cold floors." He sits down next to his mother.

"Mom. This place looks so familiar and it's just driving me crazy! Where on earth are we?" Garfield asked.

"Why, you're home, Garfield." Sonja answered.

"Wait, this was my home?"

"Yes, darling." Sonja replied. "This used to be the kitchen of an Italian restaurant. It closed years ago. You were-"

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Garfield interrupted. "I'm starting to remember now! Th-There was a table over there!"

"Yes." Sonja said.

"And there was a stove over there!"

"Yes."

"And a big fat guy with a mustache!"

"You do remember!" Sonja exclaimed

"Yes! I do remember!" Garfield also exclaimed.

"And over there…" Sonja points out, "...was your first bed. That's where you were born."

Garfield slowly approaches the old bed. "It...It **has** been a while". Garfield sniffs as tears begin to drop from his eyes. He picks up the old blanket from the bed and begins to cry as memories begin to resurface.

* * *

_Opening his eyes and gazing upon the kitchen for the first time._

_Rubbing up against his first human leg._

_His first taste of lasagna._

_The infinite mountains of pasta._

* * *

It all came back to him.

"Now I remember everything." Garfield sobbed. His mother placing a paw on his back.

"Good." Sonja said.

"I can't believe it's all gone, though! Where's the pasta? The people? The pasta? The excitement? The pasta?"

"You always did love to eat." Sonja remarked.

"_Sniff_...old habits are hard to break, you know." Garfield continues to cry.

"I know what'll cheer you up." Sonja said. "Follow me, Garfield."

"I wonder where we're going?" Garfield wipes the tears from his face and follows his mother who crawls through a small hole in the wall. He attempts to crawl through, but due to his larger than usual weight, gets stuck within the hole.

As Garfield struggles to fit through the hole, he does not notice two evil looking cats watching him through the barricaded entrance.

"I think we found who we're looking for." The cat smirked.

"Oh, boy! Oh, boy!" The other cat said in excitement.

"Yup. That's lardball, alright."

"We're gonna be the most famous cats in the whole gang!"

As the two evil cats quickly retreat to inform their boss of Garfield's location, the orange tabby finally manages to squeeze himself through the hole.

"That hole was much smaller than I remembered it." Garfield said while cleaning himself. He notices a bunch of cats lying all around the room.

"Mom, who are these guys?" Garfield asked.

"This is your family, Garfield." Sonja answered.

"That's my family?"

"Well, cousins mostly."

"Geez, They're all so skinny."

"Well, dear, times have gotten tough. Especially for us mousers."

"Mousers!?" Garfield exclaimed in shock. "Y-You mean you…" Sonja chuckles.

"Every chance we get."

"YUCK!" Garfield almost began to vomit.

"Come along, dear. Time to meet the family." Sonja approaches the other cats while ushering Garfield to follow her.

"Garfield. This is your cousin, Sly." Sonja points to the cat looking out the window.

"Hi there, Sly! What's happening?" Garfield waves to his cousin, but Sly doesn't move even an inch. "Uh...How's it goin'? How you doin'?" Still no response.

"He doesn't seem too friendly." Garfield said to his mom.

"He's on duty, dear. Sly is our watch cat."

"Watch cat, eh? Hey, Sly! Watch this!" Garfield sticks his tongue out and makes a teasing face.

"Garfield! Cut that out!" Sonja ordered.

"Sorry, mom. Sure is a fun family you got going on here. I can't wait to…"

_COUGH! HACK! HACK!_

Garfield jumped in surprise as he hears some unpleasant noises coming from an old crate.

"Oh, and that's Raoul. He's your older brother." Sonja said with an unamused tone. "And a disappointment." She mutters to herself.

Garfield approaches the crate and sees an ugly purple cat's head peeking out of it surrounded by flies.

"Hot damn. That's the first time I've ever seen one of you. Part cat, part house. Definitely a house-cat." Raoul laughs hysterically at his own joke as Garfield gives an unamused look to the reader.

"Hey, that was pretty good, huh? A house-cat." Raoul said.

"Oh, ha ha. A house-cat. Very funny." Garfield sarcastically said. He can see why Sonja hates him.

"Hey, pardon me for asking, but do you happen to know where the city pound is?" Garfield asked.

"Are you crazy!? You wouldn't even last a full minute in there!" Raoul replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me bro, I gotta catch some more Zs." He falls back to sleep.

"This is so great, I'm having a ball." Garfield sarcastically said.

"Raoul isn't feeling well." Sonja said.

"Honestly, I'm not doing too good myself." Garfield sighed thinking about Odie and how the poor pup must be handling the pound.

Sonja has Garfield follow her to an old scruffy looking cat.

"Garfield, this is your grandfather. Father, this is your grandson Garfield." Sonja introduced the two cats to each other.

Garfield offers his paw. "Hi, pleased to…"

"You're soft, boy. Too proud to work for a living?" His grandfather interrupted.

"Well, I…"

"So you want to stay here and become a mouser, eh, boy?"

"Wait! What!?"

"Well, if you're going to stay here, you're going to be a mouser like the rest of us. We have a tradition to uphold here, my boy. Your father, your great-grandfather, your great-great-grandfather. We've always been mousers."

"Is dad here?" Garfield asked.

"He drops in from time to time." his grandfather answered. "Garfield, you come from a long line of bachelors."

"I see. Well, thanks for the invitation guys, but I really have to get going. I have to find the pound and…"

"THE POUND!?" Both his mother and grandfather said in shock.

"Uhh...yes." Garfield said nervously.

"What in hell's name do you think you're doing, boy!? Think you're tough enough to take on the whole pound all by yourself!?" His grandfather demanded.

"Well, no. My best friend has been captured and taken to the pound and I intend to find him and bust him outta there." Garfield proclaimed.

"You mean Odie?" Sonja asked.

"HOW DO YOU…!?"

"You yelled out his name when I woke you up."

"Oh."

"I admire your loyalty, Garfield." His grandfather complimented him. "However, if you're going to save your friend from the pound, you must be prepared to face any danger that may befall you. Prepare for the games!" He shouted.

All the cats scramble to their positions. One of them places a box on the ground and opens it to reveal a frightened mouse inside. Garfield gulped nervously as he knew what they were expecting him to do.

"Let the games begin!" His grandfather shouted.

"Uhhhh…What am I supposed to do?" Garfield nervously asked.

"This is your initiation, man. The ultimate test of your cathood." Raoul answered.

"And what am I supposed to do?

"Well, offhand, I'd say that you're supposed to catch and eat that mouse."

"You know, I'm not really hungry right now. Would anyone here mind if we put this off until after lunch?" Garfield asked.

"That is lunch. You cannot expect people to just give you food, my boy. You have to work hard to eat in the real world." His grandfather explained. Garfield reluctantly picks up the mouse.

"Please, cat! Don't eat me! I've got a wife and kids!" The mouse pleads for mercy.

Garfield instead tosses the mouse away. "You know, this is really unfair. Back home, I'm notorious for eating animals way larger than that little guy. Don't you have anything bigger?"

"Bigger?" His grandfather asked.

"Yeah, more of a challenge to better prepare myself." Garfield replied.

"I see. Well, now that you mentioned it, bring on the training mouse!" His grandfather ordered.

Two cats push a box to reveal a giant hole with a pair of evil looking eyes inside.

_STOMP! STOMP!_

A gigantic rat comes out of the hole and approaches a very frightened Garfield.

"WOAH! Now that's what I call a mouse!" Garfield slowly backs away.

"Come on, boy. Your friend's life depends on you." His grandfather insisted.

"Yum-yum. Eat 'um up, buddy." Raoul licks his tongue.

"Me and my big mouth." Garfield said to the reader. "Well, here goes nothing." He draws out his claws as he prepares to lunge at his larger opponent.

"INCOMING!" Sly suddenly shouted. "Top side! Top side! Quick! Battlestations!"

All the other cats rush to their positions.

"Uh, oh! Get ready to fight, dear!" Sonja warned her son.

Garfield groaned in frustration. "I don't have time for this! I'll spare you for now." He said to the training mouse.

"Whatever, handsome." The giant female mouse pinches Garfield's cheeks affectionately.

"Yuck!" Garfield shouted in disgust as he makes his way to the hole. Once again, he gets stuck in-between the hole.

"C'mon, chubs! Move it!" Raoul shouted. Fed up, he kicks his brother which sends him flying to the other side.

"Thanks, bro. I needed that." Garfield rubbed his behind.

"Anytime, bro." Raoul said as he hops around with his injured foot.

Garfield approaches his mother as she peeks her eyes through the barricaded door.

"What's happening? Who are we fighting?" Garfield asked.

"The claws." Sonja answered.

"The claws?" Garfield wonders to himself as he peeks his head through the barricade. He sees the purple cat and his gang he encountered yesterday.

"Oh, crap!" He shouted.

"We haven't had any trouble with these guys for a long time. I wonder what they want now?" Sonja wondered.

"I know what they want." Garfield sighs to himself.

"What the hell do you guys want!?" Sonja demanded an answer from the gang.

"We want lardball!" The purple cat proclaimed.

"Lardball? They want someone called "Lardball"." Sonja said.

"Lardball?" The family ponders to themselves in confusion. They don't have anyone called "Lardball" in their pack.

"I'm lardball!" Garfield confessed. His family gasped in shock.

"Yeah! That one! That fat orange-striped coward! We know he's hiding in there! So, we'll make a simple deal. You throw lardball out of there, we'll leave. If you don't, we'll level the place. So, do we have a deal?" The purple cat said.

The family thinks of what to do. Do they throw Garfield out or do they fight to protect him?

"It's tempting." Garfield's grandfather said.

"Yes. I surrender." Garfield suddenly responded to the deal. Once again, the family gasped.

"GARFIELD! NO!" Sonja shouted as her son exits through the barricade.

"No. Don't ask me to stay. I'm doing this to protect you." Garfield approaches the claws.

"Aww. How touching." The purple cat sarcastically said. "Ready for your pummeling, lardball?"

"No! He's family!" Garfield's grandfather suddenly shouted.

"What!?" The purple cat exclaimed.

"You heard him! We fight!" Sonja proclaimed. Garfield was touched by their gesture.

"Well, in that case...GET READY TO RUMBLE!" The purple cat shouted.

Garfield watches as the claws burst through the barricade and a huge battle ensues inside the abandoned building. Cats are clawing and biting each other as chaos ensues inside. Raoul peeks his head through the broken barricade.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of here! Get to the pound!" Raoul shouted.

"Oh! Right! Thanks, bro!" Garfield said.

"Anytime! Now go!" Raoul shouted before heading back to the fight.

Garfield runs as fast as he could away from the restaurant. He hated having to leave his family behind without properly saying goodbye, but he needed to find Odie and go home as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 6: The Pound

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Pound**

**Nighttime…**

As the night sky pours rain onto the streets, Garfield makes his way through the wet streets as he continues his search for the city pound.

"_GURGLE!"_ Garfield's stomach growled.

"I'm wet and I'm hungry." Garfield complained. "I could waste away to normal. Nah, I'm too tired to be hungry and I'm too wet to be tired. Maybe if I whistle I won't be scared either." He suggested to himself. He attempts to whistle, but fails spectacularly. "What am I doing? I can't whistle."

His body grows very tired from all the countless hours of walking. He really needed to rest. "I guess I'll just lie down here for a minute and hope for something big to fall on me." He said as he stops dead in his tracks and lays down on his belly. "I can see the headline now. "**Extremely good looking cat totaled in piano crash."** He jokes to the reader.

"I miss Odie." He confesses. "Without him...I'm lonely."

The rain continues to drop onto the soaked kitty. His body is so tired that it was very difficult for him to move even an inch.

"What more could possibly go wrong?" He tempts fate as it instead begins to snow, covering the already cold cat in a white freezing blanket.

This is getting too much for Garfield's small cat body to handle.

"Well, this is just great!" He shivers. "I'm cold, hungry, scared, tired, it's snowing to beat the band, and I haven't the foggiest idea where I am!" He rants. "While everyone else is enjoying hot cocoa in their warm homes, I'm gonna freeze to death!"

As Garfield begins to lose hope, a familiar looking truck passes by the street.

"HEY!" he peeks his head out of the pile of snow that's covering him. "I recognize that truck!"

It is indeed the same truck that took Odie away yesterday. Regaining hope, Garfield chases after the truck as fast as his beaten body would allow. Luckily, due to the amount of snow, the truck is forced to drive slower than usual allowing the exhausted cat to easily catch up with it.

"I'm coming, Odie!" He shouts.

Then, at the worst possible moment, his body gives up on him and drops onto the wet and freezing floor. The truck becoming farther away from his sight.

"No! NO! Not while I'm so close!" He shouted as snow quickly piles onto him.

He couldn't move.

He loses sight of the truck as it turns to another lane.

The world defeated him.

All hope he had was lost.

"O-Odie!" He struggles to say as he loses consciousness.

* * *

**"Garfield?"**

**"Garfield!"**

**"Wake up!"**

**"You're almost there!"**

* * *

"Huh? Mom? Wha…!?" Garfield wakes up as he thought he heard the voice of his mother calling to him.

"I can't give up now! Odie needs me! I can't let him die in there! I need to save him!" Garfield regains his confidence and runs to the lane where the truck turned. He gasped in excitement when he finds the truck parked in front of a building.

At long last. He did it. He found the city pound.

"FINALLY! Hang on, Odie! I'm coming for you!" Garfield rushes to the front door. He jumps in an attempt to reach for the doorknob, but it was simply too high for the cat to reach. After several attempts, he takes a deep breath. When he places his paw at the door, it pushes forward revealing it to be opened all along. Garfield facepalms at his own stupidity as he proceeds to enter the pound.

* * *

**The City Pound**

Garfield observes the surrounding area for any signs of his friend. He discovers many pets trapped within the bars of this animal prison. He couldn't stand to see all those poor animals forced into confinement by the humans.

As Garfield passes by the many cages within, he spots a familiar looking dog resting behind the bars.

"ODIE!" Garfield gasped in excitement. The dog wakes up to the calling of his name and notices his cat friend on the other side of the bars.

"**BARK!" "BARK!" "BARK!"** Odie shouts happily as he approaches Garfield.

"Don't worry, Odie. I'm gonna get you outta here." Garfield observes the cell and sees a keyhole on the door and knows that he must find the right key. He then notices the dogcatcher nearby sleeping with the keys tight in his grip.

"Perfect. I'll be right back, Odster." Garfield sneaks his way to the dogcatcher holding the keys. He spits on his hand and rubs them together as he prepares for the swiping. He grabs the key and attempts to pry them off the dirty human hands. The sudden movement causes the dogcatcher to wake up. He looks down at the fat orange cat and gives him a dirty glare for disturbing his nap.

"Uhhh...Meow?" Garfield gives the dogcatcher a sheepish smile. Not amused, the dogcatcher angirly grabs Garfield and throws him into the cell.

"Dammit! As if this couldn't get any worse!" Garfield shouted as he pounds his fist onto the floor.

"Psst. Hey, buddy? You got any cigarettes on ya?" Some random cat asked.

"What kind of a question is that!?" Garfield asked in response.

"Gee, I don't know. I thought it was something you're supposed to ask while you're in the slammer." The other cat said. Garfield facepalms at his stupidity.

"I can't believe it! Me, Garfield! Caged like a wild animal!" Garfield ranted.

Odie happily approaches Garfield and proceeds to lick him in hopes of making him feel better. The cat however is not in a good mood for licks.

"BACK OFF, ODIE!" Garfield suddenly shouted in pure anger. "YOU'RE THE REASON WHY I'M IN THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

Odie whimpers in fear as he backs away from his angry friend. Two cats approach the situation. A thin one and a bigger one.

"Hey! Hey, fella! Take it easy on the mutt, will ya!?" The thin cat calls out Garfield.

"Who are you, and what business is it of yours anyway?" Garfield demanded an answer.

"The name's Guido, though my friends call me "Fast Eddie". The thin cat responded, revealing his two names. "Over here is my associate, Fluffy." He points to the big cat next to him also revealing his name.

"Arf! Arf!" Fluffy barks like a dog.

"Oh, shut up, Fluffy!" Guido smacks Fluffy for his stupidity.

"Guido and Fluffy?" Garfield slightly chuckles at them for their ridiculous names.

"I've killed for less than that." Guido threatens Garfield for making fun of their names.

"Hmm. One of those sensitive-tough types, I see." Garfield said to the reader.

"Oh, and you should be nicer to that mutt over there because…" Guido comes closer to Garfield and puts a paw on the side of his mouth, "...he's the next one to go." Guido mumbles.

"Go? Go where?" Garfield asked.

Guido chuckles evilly. "Look pal, how do I break this to ya? This ain't no good ship lollipop here like them other pounds. This is the real deal, and if no one comes to claim any of us it's…GcKkhh... Curtains, if you know what I mean." Guido performs the throat-slitting gesture to emphasize his point.

Garfield's eyes pop wide open as he shivers in fear. "Wait! I thought they axed that practice years ago!" He retorted.

"Not in this pound, they don't." Guido responded back.

"So, how long does Odie have?" Garfield nervously asked, almost not wanting an answer.

"Till his owner comes to pick him up."

"And if Jon doesn't come?"

"Then he has 'till dawn."

Garfield becomes very nervous at this point. His paws started to sweat really hard.

"Uhhhh...let's change the subject, please?" Garfield asked nervously.

"Oh, sure. Would youse like to talk about needlepoint?" Guido suggested.

"Ooohhhh! That would be nice!" Fluffy said excitedly.

"Ah, shut up!" Guido once again smacks Fluffy.

"You'll have to excuse my associate here. It was his lack of smarts that got him in here to begin with. You see, His previous owner encountered considerable difficulty in cultivating him with the proper hygienic habits." Guido explained to Garfield.

"So, he couldn't be housebroken, huh?" Garfield guessed.

"Puddle city." Guido nods his head confirming Garfield's answer.

"And what about you?" Garfield asked.

"Well, I was, you might say, between owners when they caught me roaming the streets." Guido responded.

"I see." Garfield said.

"Trust me, there are many interesting stories behind why all these folks is here. For example, that dog Fido over there wasn't on a leash. Right next to him is Rocky, a kitten who happen to beat up a neighborhood dog. Next to him is Charlotte, a pampered lady cat who sharpened her claws...on a King Edward V divan." Guido explained.

"Interesting." Garfield said.

"Oh, and Weird Lonnie over there is in for impersonating a moose." Guido points to the dog with a moose face stuck on him.

"Uhhhh….Ok?" Garfield is weirded out by that particular dog.

Guido yawns as he begins to grow tired. "Well, it's about time for us to hit the sack."

"Sack? What sack?" Fluffy asked stupidly.

"This sack, dumbass!" Guido points to the ground and pounds Fluffy in the head.

"Ow!" Fluffy moaned in pain.

Garfield approaches Odie who whimpers in fear.

"Odie, I'm really sorry for yelling at you earlier." Garfield apologized. "Come on, we better get some sleep."

Odie still whimpers in fear of what's to come.

"Don't worry, old buddy. Everything's gonna be okay." Garfield softly reassures Odie as he pats him on the head.

Feeling better, Odie spins around a few times before lying down. Garfield watches as his friend falls asleep as he thinks of a plan to escape the pound.


	7. Chapter 7: So Long, Old Friend

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 7: So Long, Old Friend**

Garfield continues to ponder on how to escape his current predicament. He slowly walks to the cell window and sees that it's raining heavily outside.

As the cold wind makes its way through the window, he wraps his arms around to shield himself from the unforgiving weather.

Shivering, he gives all his attention back to Odie. The poor beagle shaking as the breeze of the outdoors strikes him hard.

Showing sympathy for the first time in years, Garfield approaches the shivering dog and lays down next to him to keep him warm.

Eventually, the orange tabby falls asleep. Hours fly by as less water is being dropped from the sky and the clouds outside become a brighter shade of grey.

Odie nudges closer to Garfield as the cat opens his exhausted eyes. He can tell that it was already morning.

Turning back to Odie, he gently strokes the dog's back. He never truly hated Odie, no matter what he said or done to him throughout the years they lived together.

_***So long, old friend.***_

_***I wish that I could see you once again.***_

After a few more pats to the back, Garfield approaches the window and places his arms on its sill. Soon enough, old memories begin to shine in the tabby's mind.

_***I never knew, the time would come when I'd be losing you.***_

* * *

**2 years ago…**

A younger Garfield jumped in excitement as Lyman came home with his best friend Odie.

_***I hope you know I never met to treat you badly.***_

Odie ran excitingly to Garfield who stretched his leg in his path causing the young puppy to trip.

_***And now I know just what a friend like you is for.***_

Odie smiled back as Garfield jumped on him and the two started to playfully pounce each other.

_***I never thought that it would end so sadly.***_

Odie happily licks Garfield before heading towards the door.

_***And you'd be walking through that door.***_

The two young pets run out the door to play in the front yard.

_***So long, old friend.***_

_***I wish that I could see you once again.***_

The two run in circles around a tree. Garfield smirks and hides behind the tree to confuse Odie as he continues to run around.

_***I never knew, the time would come when I'd be losing you.***_

Odie eventually realizes that Garfield is playing tricks on him and chases the young kitten. They jump into Jon's field of flowers and start throwing daisies at each other.

_***I always thought our fun and games would just go on and on.***_

* * *

**Present Day...**

Garfield sighed deeply as he pondered on how the hell his life turned upside down in less than a day.

_***I never knew I'd have to say, so long.***_

"CLANK!"

Garfield hears the cell door opening. The dogcatcher comes and picks Odie up while he's still sleeping.

"NO! You can't take Odie away!" Garfield shouted as he chased after them.

"Let him go, you crazy fool!" Guido grabs Garfield. "If you try to stop em', they'll put you down too!"

Garfield struggles out of Guido's grip and rushes to the cell door, but it was too late. Garfield pulls on the cell bars as hard as he could to no avail. Defeated, Garfield takes one last look to his best friend.

"Well, I'll see you Odie. Sometime...somewhere...hopefully." Garfield sniffed. His eyes filled with water.

Showing sympathy, Odie gives Garfield one last lick.

"So long...old friend." Garfield grabs Odie's paw.

_***I never knew I'd have to say, so long.***_

The selfish dogcatcher drags the innocent Odie away from him forever.

A tear drops from the cat's eyes.

It was all over.

He lost everything.

His freedom.

His family.

His mother.

His owner.

His best friend.

All taken away from him by the cruelty of reality.

The world was different to him now.

The world isn't as innocent as it portrays itself to be.

Instead, it was filled with heartless individuals who care for nothing but themselves.

This is by far, no questions asked, the worst Monday he ever had.

"NO!" Garfield suddenly shouted, catching the other prisoners completely off guard. If Jon isn't coming to save them, then it's all up to him now.

"That does it! We're gonna break outta here!" He declared.

"Well, you got any ideas?" Guido asked.

Garfield pondered for a second. "Perhaps we could use Fluffy as a battering ram?"

"Hmm. It's worth a shot." Guido agreed. "Fluffy! Bust through that wall!"

"Sure thing!" Fluffy runs straight to the wall. However, it did not break the wall as expected.

"OWW!" Fluffy rubs his cracked head in pain.

"Well, that didn't work." Garfield said.

"Ok, mister smarty pants. You got any other bright ideas?" Guido asked impatiently.

"Hey! I'm working on it!" Garfield insisted.

They all hear the front door opening.

"I've got it!" Guido snapped his finger. "Come on everyone, get in line quick!"

"Wait, what for?" Garfield asked.

"This could be our way out. There's a family coming in to adopt a pet. If we're lucky, they'll choose one of us from this very cell. And once the guard comes back and opens the door, we'll all charge outta here!" Guido explains the plan.

"I like this plan!" Garfield approved.

All the cats and dogs in the cells get into position as a little girl and her parents make their way through the pound. As the family observes all the pets in their cells, they all do things like rolling over and licking themselves to get their attention.

By sheer luck, the family stops at the cell Garfield is in and observes all the pets in there.

"Let's see…" The girl pondered as she struggles to make her choice.

"C'mon! Will you hurry up!?" Garfield asked impatiently.

"I'll take...that big orange one." The girl points at Garfield.

"Me? Huh, she has good taste." Garfield was astonished by the girl's choice. Maybe there is good in humans after all.

Once the cell door opens, Garfield and all the other pets make a run straight through the open door. The family watches in shock as the pets quickly make their way to the entrance.

Garfield spots the dogcatcher dragging Odie. Without any hesitation, Garfield leaps onto the man's arm and bites it as hard as he could.

"OW!" The dogcatcher yelps in pain as Odie was released from his bitten arm.

"C'mon, Odie! The door's open! Let's make a break for it!" Garfield said as they all make their way to the entrance.

However, the dogcatcher rushes to the door and closes it shut. He gives the animals a nasty glare as he blocks the entrance.

"Crap!" Garfield exclaimed.

"Now what do we do?" A fellow dog asked, scared for his life.

Garfield quickly ponders on what to do now. He had to act now or they may never get another chance.

"**You must be prepared to face any danger that may befall you**." He hears the voice of his grandfather.

"You're right!" Garfield said. "Okay everyone, on my mark..." All the pets get into attack positions.

"Get set…"

The pets started to growl at the dogcatcher.

"CHARGE!" Garfield shouts as they all pounce on the dogcatcher causing him to break the door down.

"Freedom!" a fellow cat shouted as all the escaped pets rush to freedom.

"Yes! We did it!" Garfield and Odie hi-five each other as they rush out of the pound.

The little girl and her parents walk out of the pound walking around the unconscious dogcatcher.

"We're sorry we couldn't get a pet, sweetie." The mother apologized.

"It's okay." The girl politely responded.

The family notices Fluffy coming out of the pound last, rubbing his bleeding head.

"Ohhhh. My head." Fluffy moaned in pain.

"You poor thing." The girl picks up Fluffy. "I'll take you instead."

"We better get him to the vet quickly." The father insisted.

Not far from here, Garfield and Odie catch their breaths.

"Hey." Guido approaches the duo. "Thanks for helping us escape the pound."

"No sweat. It was your plan that got us outta there." Garfield said.

"Yeah, and it looks like Fluffy's got himself a new home." Guido points to his companion waving goodbye to his friends from the car window.

"Speaking of home, we better get going too." Garfield said.

"Hey, maybe we could do lunch sometime?" Guido suggested.

"Sure, as long as mice are off the menu." Garfield shakes Gudio's hand.

"Deal. Well, I'll be seeing you around." Guido starts to make his way to the streets.

"Take care, Guido." Garfield said.

"Oh, and Garfield?" Guido turns his head back to Garfield.

"Yeah?"

"It's "Fast Eddie" to you." Guido leaves Garfield and Odie's sight.

"What a nice guy. C'mon Odie. Let's make our way home." Garfield said as the two begin their journey back home.


	8. Chapter 8: Home at Last

**Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Home at Last**

Garfield and Odie make their way through the streets as the sun begins to set.

Odie whimpers in fear as the two are completely lost.

"Relax, Odie." Garfield reassured him. "It shouldn't be a problem finding our way home. Cats have a natural homing instinct and my instinct tells me that we should go this way." Garfield points to his left and turns his head in said direction...

**BONK!**

...only to bump his head into a fire hydrant.

"Ow!" Garfield yelps in pain. Odie tries not to laugh at the cat's expense.

**DING-A-LING-A-LING-A-BRRRING!**

"You hear that, Odie?" Garfield asked.

Odie nods his head in response. The two spot an ice cream truck not too far away.

"It's the ice cream truck! C'mon, Odie! Last one there is a double dip tutti-frutti!" Garfield shouted as the two race to the truck.

Odie spots another speeding truck about to make its way through the street. Acting quickly, Odie bites Garfield's tail stopping him dead on his tracks.

"You must really have a death wish, fella!" Garfield angrily shouted as he grabs Odie by the neck.

"I'm going to put that funny face of yours into orbit!" Garfield winds up his fist as he prepares to serve Odie a knuckle sandwich.

**HONK! HOONK!**

The truck soars its way through the street just barely missing the two lost pets.

"O-Odie. You...saved me." Garfield realized. "If you hadn't stopped me, I would've been a cat pancake, a pavement pelt, a sail cat, a greasy spot on the street."

Odie whimpers as he doesn't want to think of what could've happened to his friend.

"You saved my life, old buddy!" Garfield hugs Odie tightly. Odie, in return, gives Garfield a bunch of affectionate licks. "Ice creams all on me, pal!" He proclaimed.

The two proceed to the ice cream truck and obtain their delightful frozen treats. With Garfield's cone having around twenty scoops of various flavors.

"Hey listen, I may not be as wildly successful in this life Odie, but at least I'm alive to live it. And that means something." Garfield said as he licked his towering ice cream.

"I'll forever be grateful to you, Odie." Garfield confessed. "I'll never forget this."

Odie was very touched by this. He pulls Garfield to a loving embrace while being careful not to spill the other's ice cream.

"Yeah, I love you too." Garfield returns the hug before the two let go.

"C'mon. It's starting to get dark." Garfield said as he finishes the rest of his ice cream with one bite.

* * *

**Hours Later…**

The two exhausted pets are sitting while leaning against a wall.

"Gee, I'm lonely." Garfield said to himself. "I feel like it's just me against the world."

Odie growls against that statement.

"Okay, okay...**us** against the world." Garfield corrected himself.

**BOOM!** Thunder is heard as the clouds begin to drip water into the streets.

"Nice touch." Garfield said. "I'm so tired it hurts, Odie. I could sleep for a week." He covers himself with a random newspaper.

Odie whimpers as he attempts to squeeze himself under the same newspaper with Garfield.

"I'm homesick. I think I'll once again use my natural, uncanny sense of direction to find our way home." Garfield added. "That is, once this rain stops. Hey look, there's a special for ground beef at Ed's Market."

A car passes by splashing the two unsuspecting pets.

"What the…" Garfield peeks his head out of the newspaper and spots a very familiar red car driving by.

"HEY! THAT'S JON!" Garfield shouted as he and Odie jump out of their newspaper covers and chase after the car.

"JON! JON!" Garfield keeps shouting.

**BARK! BARK!** Odie keeps barking.

Inside the car, Jon can faintly hear barking from a distance. He looks to his right and spots Garfield and Odie chasing after him.

"Boys!?" Jon immediately stops the car and rushes out of the door.

As the car comes to a screeching halt, Odie slips from the wet floor and trips. Garfield bumps into Odie and behind and trips as well.

They hear footsteps approaching them.

"Garfield? Odie? Is that you?"

Jon picks up the soaked pets and hugs them tightly. The two kiss Jon on the cheeks. The trio is finally reunited.

"Thank you." Garfield said exhaustedly. "That was enough fun for one day."

"Well, I suppose you boys had a big night, singing on the fence and chasing cars." Jon said as he carried his pets back to the car. "While I searched town, and worried myself sick over you!"

Garfield and Odie simply nodded in response.

"I thought so." Jon finishes as he places them on a pillow in the back seat complete with a tray of…

"Lasagna!" Garfield gasps and instantly devours the whole tray like a wild predator. "Take us home, Jon. Because home is where they understand you."

As the car drives away, a shadowy silhouette watches everything from a distance.

_***These things are I'm leaving far behind.***_

_***You say I'm not free, but I don't mind.***_

_***Because I'm home.***_

Jon parks his car in front of his house. He opens the back door and picks up Garfield and Odie who have fallen asleep during the ride.

He enters the house and places his two pets in their respective beds. After a long and tiring day, Jon goes to his room and immediately falls onto his bed.

* * *

**The Next Morning…**

**BARK! BARK!**

Garfield startles as Odie jumps on top of the covered kitty.

"Yes Odie, I'm awake now." Garfield groaned. Odie hops off the blanket.

"It's great to be home isn't it, buddy?" Garfield asked while stretching.

The dog nods his head in agreement.

"Indeed, home is truly where the heart is." Garfield gets out of his bed.

"I even missed the little imperfections that gave this place its personality." He said as he observes the hole in the wall.

"Like this little squeaky board on the floor, the dripping faucets, the peeling wallpaper, the cracking paint...termites...dry rot." Garfield realizes the horrible conditions of the household.

"You know what, this place is a dump!" He admits. Odie nodding in agreement.

"Garfield?"

The two jump in surprise upon hearing the call for the cat's name. They looked around and find a female cat observing them through a window.

"Mom!?" Garfield recognizes their visitor and rushes towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Garfield asked.

"Oh, do I need permission to see my son now?" Sonja replied sarcastically.

"Oh...I...Uhhh…" Garfield stutters.

"I'm just kidding, dear." Sonja laughs. "Anyway, you should be thankful that you even have a home and an owner who cares for you. You said it yourself, home is truly where the heart is."

Garfield chuckles nervously. "Listen, mom, I'm really sorry I let you and the family down."

"Oh, there's nothing to be sorry about, Garfield. Not all of us are cut out to be mousers." Sonja reassured her son. "Son, this is really for the best, you wouldn't survive back there. Here, you have a good life. An easy life, one that we all envy."

"Good point." Garfield said.

**BARK! BARK!**

The two cats notice Odie approaching them.

"Is this your friend?" Sonja asked.

"Oh, yes he is." Garfield confirmed. "Odie, this is my mom."

"Nice to meet you, Odie!" Sonja shakes Odie's paw.

"It's a long story, pal. I'll explain later." Garfield told his confused dog friend.

"Anywho, I need to get going now." Sonja said.

"C'mon, mom. Why don't you stay here and have breakfast with us?" Garfield offered.

"Well, I'd love to, but I'm needed back at the restaurant. You should know how your grandfather feels when I'm out all alone for a long time." Sonja explained.

"Oh, I understand. I'll miss you." Garfield said.

"Don't worry, Garfield. I'll stop by to check up on you every once and awhile, okay?" His mother assured him.

"Sounds good, mom. I love you." Garfield said.

"I love you too, sweetie. If you boys ever need me, I'll be there." Sonja kisses Garfield and Odie on the cheek and walks away from the window.

"Thanks, mom...for everything." Garfield said as she leaves his sight.

"She's great, isn't she Odie?" Garfield asked.

"Mm hmm." Odie nods his head agreement.

"C'mon, let's get some breakfast. Jon's most likely up by now." The two head towards the kitchen and find Jon sitting down reading a newspaper.

"Mornin', boys." Jon greeted his pets. "I'll get you some breakfast as soon as I'm done eating, okay?"

Odie whimpers begging for his food.

"It's pathetic the way some animals beg at the table." Garfield said to the reader. "Where is your pride, Odie?"

"Okay, okay here you go boy." Odie is given a stake and happily walks away with the treat in his mouth.

Garfield, wanting some good eats too, sticks his tongue out like Odie and starts begging Jon.

"Oh, very well, Garfield." Jon sighed as he hands the cat a plate of bacon and eggs.

"Thanks anyway." It's not the food Garfield wanted, but it was food regardless.

"Ah-Ah-Ah...ACHOO!" Garfield sneezes, sending the bacon and eggs splatting onto Jon's face.

"Sorry." Garfield rubs his nose, "I'm only human."

**The End!**

* * *

**This story is dedicated to the memory of Lorenzo Music, the voice of Garfield. (1937-2001)**


End file.
